Fiber management tray with enhanced accessibility

Abstract

Aspects and techniques of the present disclosure relate to a telecommunications optical fiber management tray ( 100 ) that provides enhanced access to connectors and adapters. In one example, a fiber optic telecommunications tray ( 100 ) is disclosed which has movable components that can configure the tray between a storage position and an access position. In the storage position, one or more fiber optic connectors ( 154 ) and a fiber containment wall ( 106 ) extending from a base ( 104 ) of the tray ( 100 ) are positioned such that a port of a connector mounted ( 154 ) to the tray ( 100 ) has a longitudinal axis that passes through the fiber containment wall ( 106 ). In the access position, the one or more fiber optic connectors ( 154 ) and the fiber containment wall ( 106 ) are position such that the connector port longitudinal axis does not pass through the fiber containment wall ( 106 ). In the access position, adapters can be inserted or removed from the tray-mounted connectors without a line-of-sight obstruction from the fiber containment wall.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A fiber optic telecommunications tray, comprising:
 a. a main body including a base and a fiber containment wall extending upwardly from the main body, the fiber containment wall defining portions of a perimeter of the main body of the tray that surrounds the base, the fiber containment wall and base defining a storage region extending from the base to a distal end of the fiber containment wall; and 
 b. a frame structure holding one or more fiber optic connectors, the frame structure being mounted to or formed integrally with the main body, the one or more fiber optic connectors each having a port for receiving a fiber optic adapter, the port being aligned along a longitudinal axis; 
 c. the tray being configurable from a storage position to an access position, wherein:
 i. in the storage position, the one or more fiber optic connectors and the fiber containment wall are positioned such that the connector port longitudinal axis passes through the fiber containment wall; and 
 ii. in the access position, a first portion of the main body is rotated with respect to a second portion of the main body about a living hinge such that the connector port longitudinal axis does not pass through the fiber containment wall. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The fiber optic telecommunications tray of  claim 1 , wherein the frame structure is rotatable about a pivot axis from a first position corresponding with the storage position to a second position corresponding to the tray access position. 
     
     
       3. The fiber optic telecommunications tray of  claim 1 , wherein the main body includes a hinge member for pivotally mounting the tray to a structure. 
     
     
       4. The fiber optic telecommunications tray of  claim 1 , wherein the tray includes fiber management features defining a cable routing pathway. 
     
     
       5. The fiber optic telecommunications tray of  claim 1 , wherein a first portion of the main body includes a first portion of the fiber containment wall and a second portion of the main body includes a second portion of the fiber containment wall. 
     
     
       6. The fiber optic telecommunications tray of  claim 1 , wherein a first portion of the main body includes a first portion of the base and a second portion of the main body includes a second portion of the base. 
     
     
       7. The fiber optic telecommunications tray of  claim 5 , wherein the living hinge is defined as a portion of the fiber containment wall. 
     
     
       8. The fiber optic telecommunications tray of  claim 6 , wherein the living hinge is defined as a portion of the base. 
     
     
       9. A fiber optic telecommunications tray, comprising:
 a. a main body including a base and a fiber containment wall extending upwardly from the main body, the fiber containment wall defining portions of a perimeter of the main body of the tray that surrounds the base, the fiber containment wall and base defining a storage region extending from the base to a distal end of the fiber containment wall, wherein the main body includes a hinge member for pivotally mounting the tray to a structure; 
 b. a frame structure holding one or more fiber optic connectors, the frame structure being pivotally mounted to the main body, the one or more fiber optic connectors each having a port for receiving a fiber optic adapter, the port being aligned along a longitudinal axis; 
 c. the tray being configurable from a storage position to an access position, wherein:
 i. in the storage position, the frame structure is rotated with respect to the base such that the connector port longitudinal axis passes through the fiber containment wall; 
 ii. in the access position, the frame structure is rotated with respect to the base such that the connector port longitudinal axis does not pass through the fiber containment wall. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The fiber optic telecommunications tray of  claim 9 , wherein the tray includes fiber management features defining a cable routing pathway. 
     
     
       11. A fiber optic telecommunications tray, comprising:
 a. a main body including a base and a fiber containment wall extending upwardly from the main body, the fiber containment wall defining portions of a perimeter of the main body of the tray that surrounds the base, the fiber containment wall and base defining a storage region extending from the base to a distal end of the fiber containment wall; and 
 b. a frame structure holding one or more fiber optic connectors, the frame structure being mounted to or formed integrally with the main body, the one or more fiber optic connectors each having a port for receiving a fiber optic adapter, the port being aligned along a longitudinal axis; 
 c. the tray being configurable from a storage position to an access position, wherein:
 i. in the storage position, a first portion of the main body, including a portion of one or both of the base and the fiber containment wall, is positioned with respect to a second portion of the main body, including another portion of one or both of the base and the fiber containment wall, such that the connector port longitudinal axis passes through the fiber containment wall; and 
 ii. in the access position, the first portion of the main body is rotated with respect to the second portion of the main body about a hinge portion such that the connector port longitudinal axis does not pass through the fiber containment wall. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The fiber optic telecommunications tray of  claim 11 , wherein the main body includes a hinge member for pivotally mounting the tray to a structure. 
     
     
       13. The fiber optic telecommunications tray of  claim 11 , wherein the tray includes fiber management features defining a cable routing pathway. 
     
     
       14. The fiber optic telecommunications tray of  claim 11 , wherein the first portion of the main body includes a first portion of the fiber containment wall and the second portion of the main body includes a second portion of the fiber containment wall. 
     
     
       15. The fiber optic telecommunications tray of  claim 11 , wherein the first portion of the main body includes a first portion of the base and the second portion of the main body includes a second portion of the base. 
     
     
       16. The fiber optic telecommunications tray of  claim 14 , wherein the first portion of the fiber containment wall can rotate relative to the second portion of the fiber containment wall about the hinge portion. 
     
     
       17. The fiber optic telecommunications tray of  claim 15 , wherein the first portion of the base can rotate relative to the second portion of the base about the hinge portion.